Wine tourism profitability shifts focus from visitor volume to economic indicators

Wine tourism has evolved from a complementary activity into a core business line for many wineries. In La Rioja, the sector recorded 1.16 million visits and winery activities last year, generating an economic impact of 214.38 million euros. Additionally, wineries within the Denomination of Origin have doubled their investment in wine tourism, reaching 6.8 million euros.

Despite this growth, experts suggest that success should no longer be measured solely by visitor volume. Manuel Romero, CEO of Dinamiza, argues that the industry must adopt economic indicators to evaluate true profitability. Key metrics include revenue per visitor—which must be analyzed alongside costs to distinguish revenue growth from profit growth—and experience margins, which account for personnel, materials, products, and maintenance costs. These indicators help wineries identify which experiences to enhance, modify, or discontinue.